Gathering information mainly from Europe and North America on government policies, mechanisms, programs, tools, resources, decisions and activities which affect the world of work.

Category Archives: Labour Market

The paradox of work is that many people hate their jobs, but they are considerably more miserable doing nothing.

But as manufacturing shifted abroad after World War II, Youngstown steel suffered, and on that gray September afternoon in 1977, Youngstown Sheet and Tube announced the shuttering of its Campbell Works mill. Within five years, the city lost 50,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in manufacturing wages. The effect was so severe that a term was coined to describe the fallout: regional depression. Youngstown was transformed not only by an economic disruption but also by a psychological and cultural breakdown. Depression, spousal abuse, and suicide all became much more prevalent; the caseload of the area’s mental-health center tripled within a decade.

All EU countries have presented comprehensive Youth Guarantee Implementation Plans, complying with the deadlines set by the European Council.

The plans identify precisely the measures to be taken to implement the Youth Guarantee. They outline the timeframe for youth employment reforms and measures, the roles of public authorities and other organisations, and how it will be financed.

Please see the country fiches for a detailed assessment of the Youth Guarantee implementation in each country.

The Commission believes that “coding is the literacy of today” as every interaction on computers is governed by code. Basic coding skills will also be needed for many jobs in the near future and more than 90% of professional occupations nowadays require some ICT competence, though the number of graduates in computer science is not keeping pace with this demand for skills.

According to the report, low-skilled migrants also have their place in Europe’s labour markets, as allow for the employment of natives in highly-skilled occupations and compensate for shortages of low-skilled workers in industries where they are needed.

“The more immigration you have the less unemployment you have and this is mainly for two reasons; because migrants are attracted by employment and because they adapt to the situation. When unemployment increases too much they try to find a solution for themselves and perhaps they will leave also.” said Migration Policy Centre’s director Philippe Fargues.

“The most important reason for the persistently weak economic activity in Italy,” Mr. Wagner said, “are the country’s enormous structural problems, such as the rigid labor market, wages that are rising too quickly, high taxes for businesses and inefficient public administration.”